How Jeffrey Wright’s Lightning-Fast Voice Work Made Dispatch’s Mentor Unforgettable
Jeffrey Wright’s performance in the upcoming game Dispatch caught developer AdHoc Studio completely off guard—in the best possible way. The game, a Telltale-style superhero workplace comedy, features a cast full of familiar voices, including Aaron Paul, Laura Bailey, and YouTuber Jacksepticeye. Wright voices Chase, a Flash-like former superhero with superspeed powers that rapidly age him, giving him the energy of a younger man but the weariness of someone much older.
- Overview of Dispatch’s cast and premise
- Jeffrey Wright’s unique take on his character Chase
- Behind-the-scenes insight into the voice recording process
- Developer reactions and how Wright’s fast delivery shaped the character
Fast Talker, Fast Hero
Dispatch puts you in the shoes of Robert Robertson, a former superhero managing a quirky team of superpowered misfits. Jeffrey Wright plays Chase, a mentor figure with a twist: although he’s chronologically 40, his superspeed powers have aged him like he’s 80. This gave Wright a unique opportunity to blend humor and sharpness into the role.
Nick Herman, director and co-founder of AdHoc Studio, shared that they created Chase before casting Wright but had little time to prep the actor. When recording started, Wright surprised them by reading his lines at lightning speed. Initially, Herman and co-founder Pierre Shorette thought Wright might be “phoning it in” or just rushing through the session.
A Brilliant Character Choice
But it turned out Wright’s rapid delivery was a deliberate choice to bring Chase to life. Herman explained, “It took us a couple lines to realize, ‘Oh, no, this is a character choice, I get it now.’ He’s talking fast, he’s kind of moving, and it was so not what we had expected for the character, and ended up being just a brilliant choice on Jeffrey’s part.”
Chase not only guides Robert through his first day but also cracks witty jokes introducing each member of the superhero team, like the carnival strongman Punch Up, who “has all the charm and brains of a greasy bowling ball.”
Speedy Delivery, Standout Performance
Given Wright’s busy schedule, it’s possible his fast pace in the booth was partly due to time constraints. Still, the energy he brought perfectly matched Chase’s character and added a fresh vibe to Dispatch. Herman sums it up well: “Maybe he did need to get out of there, but we’ll take advantage of it.”
With a star-studded cast and clever writing, Dispatch is shaping up to be a unique superhero comedy worth watching.
